Windsor Mom Wants to Make Babies' Bottoms Cozy (and World-Record Holders)

For Windsor-resident Julie Fraysier, driving 40 miles to supply her newborn daughter with fiscally-sound and environmentally-friendly diapers just wasn't going to cut it.

So, she did what any other 26-year-old new mother would do: hop on-line and have them sent to her doorstep, right?

Not quite.

Fraysier took her need to select the appropriate diaper for her daughter, Rylee (now 10 months), a step further. 

Recognizing that if she were to procure enough diapers for her own daughter alone, local parents looking for the same environmentally- and pocket book-friendly options would have to travel out of state for the nearest substantial provider of cloth diapers, she decided to become a local hub for parents like herself.

"I wanted to give people [in the area] the opportunity to touch and hold a diaper before they commit to three dozen," says Fraysier, who has established a cloth-diaper presence in town with her new business, Cozy Bottoms.

The need for personal interaction is critical in deciding whether to use cloth or disposable diapers, says Fraysier, who depended on the counsel of a cousin when making her choice.

Now, as the owner of Cozy Bottoms, she has become that source of information and reason during a precess that, with a host of cloth diaper companies that sell a myriad of products with different fits, inserts, covers and materials, can be overwhelming at best.

With Cozy Bottoms in town, Fraysier is not only able to help local families with all of their cloth diaper needs, but she's also able to become an educator on a topic that has evolved far beyond the use safety pins that are commonly associated with an oft-perceived antiquated practice.

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of benefits to cloth diapers, according to Fraysier.

"They're really easy to clean; you're going to save money; and they're really easy to use," she says.

Being a young mom running her business out of her home, she's also been able to take a hands-on approach to the services she provides.

Beyond the products that Cozy Bottoms carries — which includes the classic pre-fold diapers and fancier all-in-one diapers that will last a child from birth to potty training — Fraysier has set up an operation that is truly all-inclusive for parents tossing around the idea of going with cloth.

"We do in-home sales, set up gift registries. We can put together a gift basket, and we'll answer any question at any time," she explains.

And for those having problems during the process, such as leaking, residue or smell issues, Fraysier and Cozy Bottoms will be there to offer support and troubleshooting tactics to guide parents through the rough patches.

All parents, cloth-diaper novices or experts, will have the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime hands-on experience with Cozy Bottoms Sat., April 21, when Fraysier hosts the Great Cloth Diaper Change — an effort to break the world record for cloth diaper changes at the same time.

According to Fraysier, the record of 5,026 was set last year. This year, over 300 locations, with each needing 25 babies to qualify (Windsor has 30 signed up already), will work in concert to change a record number of diapers while bringing the cloth diaper revolution back to mainstream America.

Saturday's Great Cloth Diaper Change event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Windsor Public Library. Several vendors, including refreshments provided by Get Baked, Cozy Bottoms and Buttercup Baby (an cloth-diaper Ellington company) will be on hand with diapers for consultation and purchase, a local representative from Breastfeeding USA, and tupperware vendor Deborah Zuckerman, will all be on hand.

For more information on the Great Cloth Diaper Change, visit the event's Website.

Click here to learn more about Windsor's Cozy Bottoms, and "like" the company's Facebook page.